Tools for adjusting resilient contact springs



Feb. 14, w67 J. H. CONRAN ETAL 3,303,585

TOOLS FOR ADJUSTING RESILIENT CONTACT SPRINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 22, 1964 Fl. LJ. E TUNE' Feb. 14, 967 J. H. CONRAN ETAL 3,303,685

TOOLS FOR ADJUSTING RESILIENT CONTACT SPRINGS Filed July 22, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,303,685 TOOLS FOR ADJUSTING RESILIENT CONTACT SPRINGS James H. Conran, Blue Springs, Michael H. Fitzpatrick, Jr., Lees Summit, and Arthur L. Stone, Grandview, M0., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 22, 1964, Ser. No. 384,506 7 Claims. (Cl. 72-386) This invention relates to tools for adjusting resilient contact springs, particularly contact springs of relays.

In the past, the tensions of contact springs of relays have been adjusted individually with duck-billed pliers, and with such practice, it has been diicult, if not impossible, to obtain like tensions in the contact springs and accurate positioning of the contacts relative to each other.

An object of the present invention is provision of a tool which is simple in structure and readily operable to adjust resilient contact spring tensions accurately and simultaneously.

In accordance with the object, the invention comprises a tool for adjusting resilient contact spring tensions of relays including (l) a head having a row of spaced predetermined rst pins fixed to the head and adapted to be positioned on the like sides of and adjacent to the contact springs of the relay near the fixed ends thereof. (2) An element supported by the headfor movement transversely to the contact springs having a row of spaced second pins adapted to be positioned on the opposing sides -of the contact springs from the first pins in advance thereof away from the fixed ends of the contact springs so that when the element is moved transversely in one direction, the second pins create flexing bends in the contact springs against their respective first pins. Another feature of the tool includes means to cause said element` to move in the reverse direction during movement of the tool longitudinally to the contact springs to gradually decrease the flexing bends in the contact springs.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the tool positioned to adjust the contacts of a relay, portions of the tool being shown in section;

PIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a relay illustrating the action of the pins of the tool on the contact springs;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the tool shown in its starting position; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the tool shown in its operated position.

Many relays have what may be called top and bottom Contact spring combinations, or in the present instance, two rows of terminal and contact springs. In such instances, the tool is capable of adjusting the rows separately. In FIG. l, a relay is indicated generally at 10, and in FIG. 2, a portion of that relay is illustrated as having a plurality of resilient contact springs 11 and their respective terminal springs 12, fixed at adjacent ends in a dielectric support 14 of the relay. The contact springs 11 are resilient and capable of being exed so that p0rtions of their outer ends may engage their respective terminal springs 12. The terminal springs 12 are more ice rigid or less resilient than the contact springs 11. It is important that predetermined tensions be created in the contact springs. By this it is meant, that without de stroying the resi-lient nature of the contact springs, their outer ends must be llocated in predetermined position with respect to their terminal springs and with a predetermined tension so that they may function efficiently during energization of the relay. Adjustment of relay conditions often cause disturbance of some or all :of the contact springs. These conditions depend upon the skill of an operator to manually bend each contact spring in a certain direction and, if the bend is too far, requires reverse bends to correct this error, and it is -obvious that such actions cannot produce like tensions in allv contact springs. Also excessive bending of the contact springs tends to destroy their resilient nature and may thereby cause premature failure or loss of spring tension upon subsequent relay operation.

The tool was designed to remove these diiculties and to produce the desired predetermined tensions in each contact spring. The tool includes a head 15 mounted on or integral with one end of a body 16, a handle 17 being mounted on or integral with the other end of the body. The head 15 has a row of first pins 18 mounted therein and extending downwardly therebeneath to be positioned upon like sides of the contact springs 11 adjacent to the fixed ends thereof. An element 20, having a dove-tail cross-sectional contour Vis movably disposed in a dovetail groove 21 of the head. The element 20 extends transversely 4of the contact springs 11 when thetool is mounted on the relay and is movable longitudinally of the row of first pins 18. A row of second pins 22 is mounted on the element 20 and extends downwardly therefrom a short distance in advance of the row of first pins 18 away from the fixed ends of the contact springs and adapted to be positioned on the opposing sides of their respective Contact springs 11. When the tool is in its normal position, the pins 18 and 22 may be placed in their respective positions on opposing sides of the contact springs when the head 15 is placed on the relay.

The means for moving the element 20 in the head originates with a trigger-like lever 24 disposed in a groove 25 of the handle 17, pivotally mounted at 26 in the groove and having a projection 27 normally resting on a stop pin 28 and positioned to engage a sliding collar 63. The sliding collar 63 is disposed on rod 30, which is movable longitudinally in the body 16 in guiding apertures 31 and 32 thereof. A spring 64, disposed concentric with the rod 30, between the sliding collar 63 and another collar 29 which is mounted on and pinned to rod 30, normally urges sliding collar 63 against a collar 67 which is disposed on and pinned to the rod 30. A spring 33, disposed concentric with rod 30 between the collar 29 and a surface 34 normally urges the rod t0 the left (FIG. l) through spring 64 and collar 63 to return the lever 24 to its starting position and to also return the element 20 to its starting position. The left end of the rod 30 is threaded at 35 and is disposed in a threaded aperture (not shown) of a slide 36 positioned to be movedin a guideway 37 in the head 15. A knurl-wheel 38, mounted on the right end of the rod 30, may be utilized to rota-te the rod to vary lthe distance between the collar 29 and the slide 36 to vary the action or the degree of movement of the element 20 during each operation of the lever 24.

A spindle 40, mounted on the slide-36, carries a roller 41 positioned in an elongaged aperture 42 of a lever 43 which is pivoted at 44 on the head 15. A similar spindle 45, mounted on the lever 43, carries a roller 46 positioned in a bifurcated end 47 of a lever 48, which is pivotally mounted at 49 on the head 15. Another spindle 50, mounted on the element 20, carries a roller 51 positioned in an elongated aperture 52 of the lever 48, thereby operatively connecting the lever 48 to the element 20. Through this structure, action of the lever 24 to move the rod 36 to the right for the full stroke of the lever` 24 against stop pin 65 will cause movement of the elemen-t 2t) from its normal or starting position shown in FIG. 3 to its operated position shown in FIG. 4. Adjustment of the rod 30 in its slide 36 will vary this action to vary the distance of movement of the element 20 and thereby vary the degree in which the contact springs are flexed.

Means are provided to gradually decrease the flexing of the contacts from the extreme positions initially created adjacent their fixed ends, as illustrated in FIG. 2 with the pins 18 and 22 shown in solid lines to their extremely reduced position as illustrated with lthe pins shown in broken lines. This means includes a cam 54 supported by the head and having a right angle projection 55 with a locating pin 56 positioned to engage a portion of the relay mounting bar 68 opposi-te the area of the contacts and terminals. Furthermore, a locating pin 57 normally resting against head 15 initially locates the cam 54 at the start of each operation. The cam 54 has a straight, side surface 58 engaging a guide member 59 of the head 15, this member being backed by springs 60 to retain the guide and the cam in their respective posi-V tions. A spindle 61, fixed to the element 20, carries a roller 62 which engages a gradually tapered surface 63 of the cam 54 when the tool is in its operated position shown in FIG. 4.

Normally, the relay is supported by a mounting bar capable of retaining the relay against movement and after the tool has been placed on the relay and has been actuated Y through movement of the lever 24 to the position shown in FIG. 4, the tool is then moved longitudinally to tbe contacts springs and terminal springs to bring about tensioning of all of the Contact springs simultaneously. The cam 54, through its action on the roller 62, causes gradual movement ofY the element toward its starting position to thereby apply to the contact springs simulaneous like decreasing flexing actions to thereby created separate but like adjustments in the contact springs throughout substantially the full lengths therof. An internally threaded sleeve 71 disposed on the threaded portion 69 of the rod 30 and provided with a head 70 serves to eliminate locking of the rod 30 in the handle 17.

Operation Regardless of the conditions of the contact springs when the relay is placed in the holder, the tool may be readily located on the relay with the pins 18 positioned upon like sides of their respective contact springs and the pins 22 positioned upon the opposing sides of their contact springs. The operator then actuates the lever 24 to its full position against stop pin 65 causing movement of lthe element 20 from the position shown in FIG. 3 to that shown in FIG. 4, to cause predetermined flexing of the contact springs about the pins 18, after which the tool is moved longitudinally to the contact springs and terminal springs to create separate like flexing actions of thecontact springs with decreasing flex being applied throughout the llengths of the contact springs to create like tensions in all'v of the contact springs and to accurately position the contact springs with respect to their terminals.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrange:H ments are simply illustrative of the applicationl o f` the principles of the invention. lNumerous'other arrangemen-ts may be readily devised by those skilled in the ar't which will embody the principles ofthe invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What'is claimed is:V

1. A tool for adjusting resilient contact springs of relays relative to their terminal springs comprising:

a head adapted to be located on a relay adjacent fixed ends of the contact springs and terminal springs,

a row of spaced first pins having like ends xed to the head and adapted to be positioned on like sides of and adjacent to the contact springs of the relay near the fixed ends thereof,

an element supported by the head for movement transversely of the contact springs and longitudinally of the row of fixed pins,

a row of spaced second' pins having like ends fixed to the element and adapted to be` positioned on the opposing sides ofthe contact springs from the first pins and in advance thereof away from the fixed ends of the contact springs, and v operable means to move the element in one direction relative to the head to cause the second pins to create like exing bends of predetermined degrees in their contact springs against their respective rst pins.

2. A tool for adjusting resilient contact springs according to claim 1 in which:

the tool is adapted to be moved to move the first and second pins longitudinally of the contact springs t0 cause the pins to tension the major lengths of their contact springs. j

3. A tool for adjusting resilient contactsprings according to claim 1 in which:

the tool is adapted to be moved to move the first and second pins longitudinally of the contact springs to cause the pins to tension the major lengths of their contact springs, and

means to cause said element to move in the reverse direction during movement of the tool to cause the pins to gradually decrease the flexing bends of the contact springs.

4. A tool for adjusting resilient contact springs according to claim 1 in which:

means is adapted to be actuated to vary said operable means to vary the predetermined degrees of the flexing bends of said .Contact springs.

5. A tool for adjusting resilient contact springs of relays relative to their terminal springs comprising:

a body having a head disposed at one end thereof and a handle disposed adjacent the other end thereof,

a row of spaced first pins having like ends fixed to the head and adapted to be positioned on like sides of and adjacent to the resilient contact springs of the relay near fixed ends thereof,

an element supported by the head for movement transversely of the Contact springs and longitudinally of the row of fixed pins,

a row of spaced second pins having like ends fixed to the element and adapted to be positioned on the opposing sides of the Contact springs from the first pins and in advance thereof away from the fixed ends of the contact springs,

an actuator carried by the handle and movable between a normal position to an operated position, and

means controlled by the actuator to move the element in one direction relative to the head to cause the second pins to create like flexible bends of predetermined degrees in their contact springs against their respective first pins.

6. A tool for adjusting resilient contact springs according to claim 5 in which: y

the body with the head and handle being adapted to be moved relative to the rvrelay longitudinally of the contact springs-and terminal springs to move said first and second pins longitudinally of the contact springs to cause the pins to tension the major lengths of their contact springs.

7. A tool for adjusting resilient contact springs accor-Td.-

ing to claim 5 in which: the body with the head and handle being adapted to be moved relative to the relay longitudinally of the contact springs and terminal springs to move said first and second pins longitudinally of the Contact springs to cause the pins to tension the major lengths of their contact springs, and

cam supported by the head and held against movement with said body, head and handle to cause said element to move in the reverse direction to cause said pins to gradually decrease the flexing bends of the Contact springs during movement of said body, head and handle.

No references cited.

WILLIAM W. DYER, J., Primary Examiner'.

HARRISON L. HINSON, Examiner. 

1. A TOOL FOR ADJUSTING RESILIENT CONTACT SPRINGS OF RELAYS RELATIVE TO THEIR TERMINAL SPRINGS COMPRISING: A HEAD ADAPTED TO BE LOCATED ON A RELAY ADJACENT FIXED ENDS OF THE CONTACT SPRINGS AND TERMINAL SPRINGS, A ROW OF SPACED FIRST PINS HAVING LIKE ENDS FIXED TO THE HEAD AND ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED ON LIKE SIDES OF AND ADJACENT TO THE CONTACT SPRINGS OF THE RELAY NEAR THE FIXED ENDS THEREOF, AN ELEMENT SUPPORTED BY THE HEAD FOR MOVEMENT TRANSVERSELY OF THE CONTACT SPRINGS AND LONGITUDINALLY OF THE ROW OF FIXED PINS, A ROW OF SPACED SECOND PINS HAVING LIKE ENDS FIXED TO THE ELEMENT AND ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED ON THE OPPOSING SIDES OF THE CONTACT SPRINGS FROM THE FIRST PINS AND IN ADVANCE THEREOF AWAY FROM THE FIXED ENDS OF THE CONTACT SPRINGS, AND OPERABLE MEANS TO MOVE THE ELEMENT IN ONE DIRECTION RELATIVE TO THE HEAD TO CAUSE THE SECOND PINS TO CREATE LIKE FLEXING BENDS OF PREDETERMINED DEGREES IN THEIR CONTACT SPRINGS AGAINST THEIR RESPECTIVE FIRST PINS. 